"It is with great regret that we must tell you the station's format has been changed," the station's website announced on Wednesday. "We are now playing 'all the songs you remember' in a new AC format."

For more than three decades, K-Bach played a brilliant collection of classical music for listeners in Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel and Salinas.

Mapleton Communications CEO Jim Shay said the decision to ditch classical music for rock was for money-making reasons.

The Monterey-based station did not warn its listeners before they made the dramatic switch because they did not want to tip off their competitors, Shay said.

KSBW.com asked its readers what they thought of the change.

"A sad day for the Central Coast," Sharon Ericksen wrote. "You can't compare the two. It was a shock to wake to Simon & Garfunkel and John Tesh instead of Mozart and Saint-Saens!"

"There are so many soft rock stations that I feel like we don't need another one. (K-Bach) was the only option for classical in this area," Dana Eggett wrote. "So many of my friends are shocked by it. We didn't even have any warning!"

Monterey Symphony executive director Edmund Feingold said he is "dumbfounded" that radio listeners on the Central Coast, an area with a rich tradition of classical music, no longer have a place to tune in.

"The hastiness of this decision and its lack of transparency are troubling," Feingold said.

Feingold recommended that classical music lovers tune into KAZU-2, an all-classical format available on HD radio and the Internet. They can also listen to KUSP 88.9, which offers classical programming on a part-time basis, including broadcasts of Monterey Symphony concerts.

Mapleton Communications also manages three other local radio stations: KCDU "The Beach" 101.7, KHIP "The Hippo" 104.3 and K-PIG 107 oink 5.

In 2011, classical music does not have a big enough audience to keep profits up, said Casey Nichols, a production director for Mapleton Communications.

"We feel this new direction with B-103.9 will generate a stronger following of listeners on the Central Coast than K-Bach was able to," said Nichols, who DJ's on "The Hippo" and "The Beach."

The station said it hopes loyal K-Bach listeners will not change their radio dials. "We encourage you to give the new B-103.9 a chance. It is full of those great songs 'you remember,'" the station said.

Mapleton Communications said listeners can voice their feedback by calling 831-658-5220.